Cardiff 0-1 Norwich: Match Report

By 04 February 2017

Cameron Jerome destroyed Cardiff again with another goal against his former club as Norwich recorded a hat-trick of league victories with a 1-0 win in Wales.

Jerome, who made over 70 appearances for the Bluebirds, has now scored in four successive games against Cardiff.

And his latest strike, a 40th-minute winner for Norwich, ended the Canaries' four-month winless run away from home.

It has been quite a turnaround for Alex Neil's men who now sit just three points away from the top six after ending 2016 with just two wins in a stretch of 12 league games.

Cardiff threatened early on through striker Kenneth Zohore, who scored what manager Neil Warnock described as one of the best goals of the season against Preston in midweek.

On this occasion, the Dane headed Matthew Connolly's cross straight at Canaries goalkeeper John Ruddy.

Norwich handed debuts to Dutch pair Yanic Wildschut and Mitchell Dijks who joined from Wigan and Ajax respectively on deadline day.

Jerome should have scored with half an hour played after latching on to Sean Morrison's wayward header but Allan McGregor was quick off his line to deny the striker.

Jerome would make up for that miss just 10 minutes later by heading his team in front. The Canaries were awarded a free-kick when Norwich's talisman was hacked down by Aron Gunnarsson 30 yards from goal.

Republic of Ireland midfielder Wes Hoolahan lofted the ball in and Jerome was strong enough to hold off Sol Bamba and head home to give Norwich a deserved lead.

For the 30-year-old it was a third goal in four league games for Norwich after failing to score in his previous 10.

The away side could have doubled their advantage just before the break but McGregor did well to push Jerome's volley behind for a corner.

Jerome spent two years at Cardiff from 2004 and terrorised his former club's defence throughout the afternoon.

The Bluebirds came out firing in the second half and Norwich skipper Russell Martin had to be at his best to block Zohore's goal-bound effort.

And the pressure mounted on Norwich when Junior Hoilett's dangerous-looking cross was just missed by Peter Whittingham.

Cardiff wasted a golden opportunity to draw level after substitute Craig Noone's surge into the box produced a fine save from Ruddy, and the rebound fell to Kadeem Harris who blasted his effort over the bar.

Norwich dealt well with Cardiff's bombardment of long balls in the latter stages and held on for a first three points on the road since their 2-1 triumph at Wolves on October 1.